


The Forgotten Song

by TheFavoriteSpice



Series: Fred And Ginger ::: Laughter Is The Best Medicine [1]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-02 01:38:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6545209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFavoriteSpice/pseuds/TheFavoriteSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After finishing up work for the day on the movie Carefree, Ginger and Irving get the better of Fred when she happens across a song that Fred wrote for her back when they were first dating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Forgotten Song

**Author's Note:**

> I was looking back over the works in the Astaire/Rogers RPF and came across OldMoviesAreIt's story, The Consequences Of Snooping. I wrote this story long before I ever read her work, but I understand there are quite a few similarities. So this story is a dedication to her and also to all of the other writers who make the hidden romance of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers blossom and come to life.

Ginger was getting ready to leave the set of the latest movie she and her partner Fred Astaire were making, Carefree. As she closed the door to her dressing room and walked down the hall, she passed Fred's room. With a smile beginning to show on her face, she knocked on his door, hoping he'd be in. Apart from Irving Berlin who was working on tweaking a song's lyrics, no other actors or actresses were around, as the two had stayed later than the rest of the cast. When Ginger didn't get an answer, she tried opening up the door. Surprisingly, it opened with ease and she peaked her head inside. "Freddy? Are you in there?" she whispered. She stepped in and looked around. He wasn't in his dressing room. She sighed and decided to search for a note here that said where he was. He promised her that they'd get some of their private special time that night. Ginger's gaze fell on Fred's old suit hanging up in the closet. He had this one for years. In fact, it was the one that he wore on their first date. Why he had it here, she had no clue. But it looked like he was going to have it cleaned. Knowing how forgetful he was with putting things and keeping them in his pockets, she walked over to it. Placing her head on the jacket and blissfully closing her eyes, she nuzzled it like she would if Fred had it on. Then, remembering what she intended to do, she woke up from her daydream, placed her hands in each pocket and made sure nothing was left in them. Sure enough, there were two folded pieces of paper in one pocket. The paper was greatly used and was actually starting to fall apart. With a grin, Ginger decided to take a look at what they said. She glanced around, making sure no one was watching her. If it was a old love note to another girl, she would rip it up and throw it out. He probably wouldn't even miss them. Sure, she was jealous of him giving his love to someone else, but that was the way lovers were. She hoped Fred would emulate her feelings. Someday she'd have to try it out. She opened the first paper and, a little disappointed that it wasn't something for her, realized that it was just a sheet of music, with no lyrics. Nevertheless, she still held on to it. The next note was soon opened and this one didn't disappoint. It was a love note--actually a poem, to her! Then it dawned on her. Perhaps the music and the poem were supposed to go together. The poem had the year 1930 printed on the bottom of it. Why hadn't he shown it to her, she wondered. Ginger straightened out the suit and left the room the way she found it--with the exception of the two pieces of paper.

* * *

"Irving?" Ginger asked, walking over to the composer with his piano. "If you aren't too busy, could you please play this song for me on the piano?"

 

Irving Berlin was deep in thought and making small marks on his music sheet when Ginger Rogers walked in. He barely glanced up until he finished what he was doing. "Yes, I can do that Ginger," he replied, holding out his hand for the sheet. He took it and looked over it quickly. "Where did you get this?" he asked, recognizing Fred Astaire's handwriting on the bottom of the page. 

 

"Truthfully?" Ginger said, looking down at the other sheet in her hand.

 

Irving responded with a nod.

 

Ginger sighed, but almost already knew that Irving wouldn't blame her. "Well, I stole it. From Fred's suit coat pocket. But I really don't think he's looked at it in many years anyway!"

 

"Alright, I just wanted to know," Irving said, starting to play the music.

 

Ginger listened and to her it sounded like a thousand bells from heaven. As the music played, she silently read the lyrics to the song. It read:

 

_Sweet Ginger,_

_Ginger darling._

_May I address this song to you?_

_I hope you don't mind, because I'm going to._

_Ginger dearest,_

_I want to tell the world what you mean to me,_

_Even though they will never truly see._

_They won't see the little things that mean so much,_

_Your soft gaze and gentle touch._

_You are the first person I think of when I rise._

_I can just feel you next to me,_

_See you right there,_

_Look into your crystal blue eyes and touch your golden hair._

_Don't let another man steal you._

_Don't let him take you away._

_You will be in my dreams forever and a day._

_Don't leave me, hanging there._

_Can't you see, I need you here._

_Be near my side, holding my hand._

_Our romance will forever be grand._

_I'm helplessly in love with you._

_And I hope that someday we can both say 'I do.'_

_Won't you please change your last name to mine?_

_Then I will know everything will be fine._

 

As she read the lyrics, her heart melted. She could see Fred there now, singing to her. The song was not one that he would have to sing for a movie. This was real, it expressed his true feelings for her, private and secretive. She knew that Fred didn't want this to get out, probably not even to her, unless they were alone together, miles and miles away from all other humans. As the song finished, Ginger and Irving heard footsteps coming down the hall, which could only be Fred Astaire himself. Suddenly, she got an idea to make Fred extremely Jealous, with a capital J. She whispered her plan to Irving, who (a little reluctantly) agreed to the plan.

* * *

Fred started to whistle. He had just come back from practicing some dance steps. Although he knew that Ginger was tired, he was going to see if she wanted to practice a little more. Then after that, they could go into his dressing room for a little alone time. Soon though, he stopped short in his tracks. He heard Irving and Ginger discussing something. Without wanted to disrupt them, he stayed right where he was, just before rounding the corner. Straining to hear, he leaned forward a little more.

 

Irving started reading the last four lines of Fred's song to Ginger, gently taking her hand in his. "Ginger, will you marry me?" he added. "I love you. I love you more than that clumsy dancer ever could."

 

Being the good actress that she was, Ginger managed to keep a straight face. Fred Astaire? Clumsy? Never, but this sure would get Fred all riled up. "Of course Irving. I love you too. Fred doesn't have one thing going for him. I'm always having to act around him, but with you, oh darling, I never have to act. I just always have to keep my true feelings secret. Why? Why can't we be seen in public together?"

 

Fred didn't want to listen anymore to this outrageous show of love. "Ginger! Have you completely lost your mind?! That is Irving Berlin! Not me! You're talking about us not him and you! What does the public always think of? Fred and Ginger! Ginger and Fred! I never heard one person said, Irving and Ginger or Ginger and Irving. It just doesn't flow right! And for you mister," he exclaimed, getting serious and giving Irving the evil eye, "If you are actually in love with my Ginger, my baby, you better be ready to fight for her! I'm not going to let her get away with a--with a--a fake playboy composer poet like you! What was that first part anyway? That was the most ridiculous poem I ever heard!" By this time, Fred was finished getting worked up and quite exhausted from this unusual show of fury. But when it came to his 'baby,' he wasn't going to take any chances.

 

Ginger couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. Her laughter broke out and she continued laughing so hard that she had to sit down on the bench.

 

"May I ask what's so funny?" Fred grumbled.

 

Irving picked up the lyrics to Fred's song and the music sheet and handed it to him. "That poem? You wrote it for Ginger. I was reading the ending. Get it Fred? It was just a joke!" he chuckled.

 

Fred took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He ran his hand through his hair, making it messy, and ultimately ending in it flopping over to the side, like it did in that bicycle scene in Carefree that they had recently finished filming. "What a joke," he mumbled. "Ginger, where did you find this? I wrote it for you when we were dating in New York, but you weren't supposed to read it!"

 

"I found it in your suit pocket in that one suit that you were to have cleaned," Ginger explained slowly, like she was explaining something to a young child. "I have only one question though. Why did you write it for me if you didn't want me to read it?"

 

"Too shy I guess," Fred replied quietly, looking down at his polished shoes. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks and knew he was blushing. Ginger giggled that cute giggle of hers. Fred looked up at her and smiled. "If you'll excuse us..." Fred suddenly said to Irving, becoming less bashful and even more in love with Ginger. He picked her up like he would if she was his bride and carried her out back to his car. He gently set her down on the hood while he opened up the passenger door. He took her by the hand and led her in, closing her door. He likewise got in on the driver's side and closed the door behind him. "Ginge, do you remember what we did in the car on our first date, all the way back in 1930?" he asked, holding both of her hands in a romantic way.

 

Ginger slowly nodded. "I think it went something like this," she said, her face centimeters away from his. She leaned in for a French kiss and the two of them stayed like that as long as they could. When their lips finally separated, she kept her forehead touching his, bringing back the memories of dancing the Carioca. "Fred, I'll love you until I die. No one can ever come between us. I promise," she whispered softly, her fingers intertwined with his.

 

"I love you too Ginger. Forever and always."

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment for me if you read this story, whether good or bad. I always like feedback on my work. Also, as much as I'd like to say that Fred wrote that poem, he didn't. I wrote all of it and tried to construct it in a way that I thought that he would. I hope you enjoyed reading my latest story!


End file.
